Working Tool for a Piece of Earth-Moving Machinery

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a working tool for a piece of earth-moving machinery comprising a digging device ( 10 ) that is embodied as a bucket or scoop and delimits an accommodation space ( 24 ) for the material that is to be excavated, and a built-on device ( 12 ) which is disposed on the digging device ( 10 ), and is provided with an additional tool ( 14, 16, 17 ) that is pivotable towards the charging hole ( 43 ) of the accommodation space ( 24 ) by means of a swivel drive ( 36 ). In order to increase the number of possible uses, the swivel drive ( 36 ) encompasses a swivel shaft ( 42 ) which is located above the charging hole ( 43 ) and extends along more than half the width thereof while the additional tool ( 14, 16, 17 ) can be fixed to the swivel shaft ( 42 ) via connecting means ( 50 ).

The invention relates to a working tool for an earth-moving machine, inparticular a digger, having a digging device embodied as a scoop orbucket which is arranged so as to be pivotable on an arm or beam of theearth-moving machine and delimits a receiving space for the material tobe excavated, and having an add-on device which is arranged on thedigging device and can be detached from the arm as a modular unit withsaid digging device, which add-on device has an auxiliary tool which canbe pivoted relative to the loading opening of the receiving space bymeans of a pivoting drive.

Digger scoops of said type are known which have special auxiliarydevices built on for defined work applications. These auxiliary deviceshave a pivoting mechanism which is matched to the tool, in whichpivoting mechanism a linear drive movement of a hydraulic cylinder,which is generally seated on the digger arm, is converted into the toolmovement by means of pivoting levers in pin supports. The limitedapplication possibilities and the high expenditure in re-tooling areconsidered to be disadvantageous here.

Proceeding from this, the invention is based on the object of improvinga working tool of the type specified in the introduction in such a waythat it can be used variably with little assembly expenditure andwithout the basic function of the scoop or bucket being restricted.

The combination of features specified in patent claim 1 is proposed toachieve said object. Advantageous embodiments and refinements of theinvention can be gathered from the dependent claims.

The invention is based on the concept of allowing an auxiliary device topivot without there being any interfering contours on the base tool. Itis accordingly proposed according to the invention that the pivotingdrive has a pivoting shaft, which is arranged above the loading openingand extends over more than half of the width thereof, for a limitedpivoting movement, and that the auxiliary tool can be fixed to thepivoting shaft by connecting means so as to be exchangeable and/ormoveable in terms of position. This makes it possible to optimallyutilize the width of the scoop or bucket in order to flexibly providefurther tool functions. The loading space is not adversely affected as aresult, and it is not necessary to carry out any modification measuresoutside the working tool, so that the earth-moving machine is providedwith additional functionality without excessive expenditure.

The pivoting shaft advantageously runs parallel to and at a distancefrom the arm pin provided on the arm for a pivoting movement of thedigging device. This makes it possible for the entire tool to be easilymounted on the digger while conversely not impeding the exchange of theauxiliary tool. A further improvement is provided in this regard if thepivoting shaft extends in a linearly continuous fashion. The pivotingshaft preferably extends over substantially the entire width—that is tosay with the exception of any mounting points at the ends—of the loadingopening.

In order to be capable of favorably withstanding the forces which occur,the pivoting shaft is axially and/or radially supported on mountingpoints in the region of the lateral delimitations of the loadingopening. It is also possible for the pivoting shaft to be mounted inmounting brackets on the upper delimiting wall of the receiving space.

One structurally simple implementation provides that the pivoting shafthas, as a rotary element, an internally mounted tube or a rod which ismounted by means of its casing. Here, the connecting means can bearranged at connecting points which are distributed discretely or arecontinuous along the pivoting shaft.

In order to allow simple coupling, the pivoting shaft can in particularhave multi-sided or polygonal profiled elements as connecting means fora rotationally fixed, positively locking connection to the auxiliarytool.

The connecting means are advantageously designed for the auxiliary toolto be suspended on, plugged onto and/or screwed onto the pivoting shaft.It is possible for the tool to be exchanged particularly quickly and atthe same time to be securely retained in that the connecting meanscomprise a laterally protruding plug-in spigot on the pivoting shaft anda receiving shoe which is arranged on the auxiliary tool, can be placedonto the plug-in spigot and can be fixed by means of a securing element.

In order to provide additional mounting points, it is possible for thepivoting shaft to be composed linearly of a plurality of rotationallyfixedly connected sections.

One embodiment which is advantageous with regard to unimpeded attachmentof the tool to the arm provides that the pivoting drive is preferablyarranged eccentrically on an upper delimiting wall of the receivingspace.

The pivoting drive is advantageously formed by a hydraulic liftingcylinder which is coupled to the pivoting shaft.

For an expanded functional scope, it is particularly advantageous forthe optional auxiliary tool to be formed by at least one gripping fingeror a flap part, in particular a sludge flap or a sorting sieve. Afurther improvement is obtained in that a cleaning tool is provided asthe auxiliary tool which can be pivoted into the digging device in orderto clean the receiving space. It has surprisingly been shown here thateffective cleaning is possible if the cleaning device comprises twoscrapers which can be guided along so as to scrape the inside of theside walls of the digging device, and have a curved cutting edge.

It should be ensured in any case that the coupling means provided forconnecting the digging device to the arm protrude freely from thepivoting shaft on the digging device.

It is also advantageous if the upper delimiting wall of the receivingspace is reinforced by a stiffening element.

The invention is explained in more detail in the following on the basisof an exemplary embodiment which is schematically illustrated in thedrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a working device for a digger havinga digging scoop and an add-on device;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an exchangeable auxiliary tool forthe add-on device;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show, in a vertical section perpendicular to the pivotingaxis, the working tool from FIG. 1 with the auxiliary tool in the openedand closed pivoting positions,

FIGS. 5 and 6 show, in a partially sectioned side view and a partiallysectioned plan view, a further embodiment of an auxiliary tool to beconnected to a pivoting shaft;

FIGS. 7 and 8 show a cleaning scraper as an auxiliary tool in thedetached and pivoted-in positions in combination with the digging scoop.

The working tool illustrated in the drawing is composed substantially ofa deep scoop as a digging device 10 and an add-on device 12, which isarranged as a modular unit on said digging device 10, for anexchangeable auxiliary tool 14, 16, 17.

The scoop 10 has a receiving space 24, which is delimited by side walls18, an upper wall 20 and a lower wall 22, for the excavated material. Toassist the digging process, a plurality of teeth 28 is arranged at afree edge 26 of the lower wall 22. Two mounting brackets 30 are providedon the upper delimiting wall for a pivoting connection, which is knownper se, to an arm of a digger (not illustrated). The mounting brackets30 have mounting eyes 32 for holding an arm pin and bores 34 forcoupling on a drive piston.

The add-on device 12 comprises a pivoting drive 36 which is embodied asa hydraulic cylinder and is supported at the cylinder side in mountingbrackets 38 on the upper delimiting wall 20 of the scoop 10. At thelinkage end of its piston rod, the hydraulic cylinder 36 is fixedlyconnected to a pivoting shaft 42 by means of an angled pivoting lever40.

The pivoting shaft 42 runs parallel to the arm pin (mounting eyes 32)provided on the arm for a pivoting movement of the scoop 10. Saidpivoting shaft 42 extends between the side walls 18 over the full widthof the scoop opening 43 in the upper edge region thereof. As can also beseen from FIGS. 3 and 4, the pivoting shaft is formed by a tube 44 whichis rotatably mounted on a fixed inner axle rod 46 and is axiallysupported at each of its ends against a collar 48 of the axle rod 46.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate, by way of example, gripping fingers 14 and aflap-like sorting sieve 16 as auxiliary tools. The auxiliary tools 14,16 can be rotationally fixedly connected to the pivoting shaft 42 byconnecting means 50 for a pivoting movement. The connecting means 50comprise a plurality of screw lugs 52, which are welded to the pivotingshaft 42 so as to be distributed at a distance from one another inpairs, for a screw connection 54 in combination with a positivelylocking connection 56 of the auxiliary tools 14, 16 to the pivotingshaft 42. This makes it possible to quickly exchange the auxiliary tools14, 16 according to the desired working application.

It is fundamentally also possible, by means of a profiled element of thepivoting shaft, to provide any desired connecting points for theauxiliary tools to be axially plugged on, or suspended by means of theircasing, in a positively locking and rotationally fixed manner.

In order to be capable of better withstanding the forces which act onthe scoop 10, the latter is reinforced in the region of its upper wall20 at the inside by means of a stiffening element 58 which is embodiedas an angled plate.

The coupling of the scoop 10 to the digger arm by means of the mountingbrackets 30 does not require any assembly work of the hydraulic cylinder36. It is necessary only to provide the hydraulic connections for thelatter by means of suitable lines. An actuation of the hydrauliccylinder 36 causes the toothed gripping finger 14 to pivot relative tothe scoop 10 or the receiving opening 43 thereof (FIGS. 3, 4), so thatfor example tree trunks or stone chippings can be captively held. Byusing a sorting sieve as per FIG. 2, it is possible for small parts ofthe excavated material to be discharged from the receiving space 24 ofthe scoop 10 via the free intermediate spaces 60 of said sorting sieve,while relatively large parts are retained. It would also becorrespondingly possible to use a sludge flap for filtering out liquidconstituents. Here, said connecting means 50, as a quick-exchangesystem, permit a quick exchange with little manual expenditure.

FIGS. 5 to 8 show a further embodiment of the connecting means 50.Radially protruding plug-in spigots 70 are welded to connecting pointsprovided for this purpose, while the auxiliary tool 14, 17 has acorresponding receiving shoe 72 which can be placed in a clamped manneronto the plug-in spigot 70 and can be fixed thereon by means of asecuring pin 73 which can be screwed in from the side. The grippingfinger 14 shown in FIG. 5 is provided with a detachable toothed rail 74in order to be better capable of retaining the material to be gripped,for example tree trunks.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a cleaning device 17for scraping out the receiving space 24 is provided as an auxiliary tool17. It is also possible here to provide a quick-exchange connection bymeans of plug-in spigots 70 on the shaft and receiving shoes 72 on thetool. The cleaning device 17 is formed by two flat scrapers 76 which arearranged at a lateral distance from one another and are guided along soas to scrape the inner surfaces of the side walls 18 in order to scrapeoff any stuck-on dirt. The flat scrapers 76 have a curved cutting edge78 which, as it advances in the pivoting-in direction, sweeps acrossalmost the entire lateral inner surface. It has surprisingly been shownthat this is entirely sufficient for effectively cleaning the innerspace 24.

1. A working tool for an earth-moving machine, in particular a digger,having a digging device (10) embodied as a scoop or bucket which isarranged so as to be pivotable on an arm of the earth-moving machine anddelimits a receiving space (24) for the material to be excavated, andhaving an add-on device (12) which is arranged on the digging device(10) and can be detached from the arm as a modular unit with saiddigging device, which add-on device (12) has an auxiliary tool (14, 16,17) which can be pivoted relative to the loading opening (43) of thereceiving space (24) by means of a pivoting drive (36), characterized inthat the pivoting drive (36) has a pivoting shaft (42), which isarranged above the loading opening (43) and extends over more than halfof the width thereof, for a limited pivoting movement, and in that theauxiliary tool (14, 16, 17) can be fixed to the pivoting shaft (42) byconnecting means (50) so as to be exchangeable and/or moveable in termsof position.
 2. The working tool as claimed in claim 1, characterized inthat the pivoting shaft (42) runs parallel to and at a distance from thearm pin provided on the arm for a pivoting movement of the diggingdevice (10).
 3. The working tool as claimed in claim 1 or 2,characterized in that the pivoting shaft (42) preferably extends in alinearly continuous fashion over the entire width of the loading opening(43).
 4. The working tool as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3,characterized in that the pivoting shaft (42) is axially and/or radiallysupported on mounting points (48) in the region of the lateraldelimitations (18) of the loading opening (43).
 5. The working tool asclaimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the pivotingshaft (42) is mounted in mounting brackets on the upper delimiting wall(20) of the receiving space (24).
 6. The working tool as claimed in oneof claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the pivoting shaft (42) has, asa rotary element, an internally mounted tube (44) or a rod which ismounted by means of its casing.
 7. The working tool as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 6, characterized in that the connecting means (50) arearranged at connecting points which are distributed discretely or arecontinuous along the pivoting shaft (42).
 8. The working tool as claimedin one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the pivoting shaft (42)in particular has multi-sided or polygonal profiled elements asconnecting means (50) for a rotationally fixed, positively lockingconnection to the auxiliary tool (14, 16, 17).
 9. The working tool asclaimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the connectingmeans (50) are designed for the auxiliary tool (14, 16, 17) to besuspended on, plugged onto and/or screwed onto the pivoting shaft (42).10. The working tool as claimed in one of claims 1 to 9, characterizedin that the connecting means (50) comprise a laterally protrudingplug-in spigot on the pivoting shaft (42) and a receiving shoe which isarranged on the auxiliary tool (14, 16, 17), and can be placed onto theplug-in spigot and can be fixed by means of a securing element.
 11. Theworking tool as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in thatthe pivoting shaft (42) is composed linearly of a plurality ofrotationally fixedly connected sections.
 12. The working tool as claimedin one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pivoting drive (36)is preferably arranged eccentrically on an upper delimiting wall (20) ofthe receiving space (24).
 13. The working tool as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 12, characterized in that the pivoting drive is formed by ahydraulic lifting cylinder (36) which is coupled to the pivoting shaft.14. The working tool as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, characterizedin that the optional auxiliary tool (14, 16, 17) is formed by at leastone gripping finger (14) or a flap part (16), in particular a sludgeflap or a sorting sieve.
 15. The working tool as claimed in one ofclaims 1 to 14, characterized in that the optional auxiliary tool (14,16, 17) is formed by a cleaning tool which can be pivoted into thedigging device (10) in order to clean the receiving space (24).
 16. Theworking tool as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the cleaningdevice comprises two scrapers (76) which can be guided along so as toscrape the inside of the side walls (18) of the digging device (10), andhave a curved cutting edge (78).
 17. The working tool as claimed in oneof claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the coupling means (30, 32)provided for connecting the digging device (10) to the arm protrudefreely from the pivoting shaft (42) on the digging device (10).
 18. Theworking tool as claimed in one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in thatthe upper delimiting wall (20) of the receiving space (24) is reinforcedby a stiffening element (58).